MLK Day of Service
MLK Day of Service
"A Day On, Not A Day Off"!
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025.
(Note: due to Inauguration, the event has been moved to Saturday.)
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
2024 MLK Day of Service
Event Schedule | Volunteer Opportunities | Sponsorship Opportunities
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Monday, January 15, 2024 for our MLK Day of Service! Stay tuned for details about 2025.
2024 Event Details
This MLK Day of Service event is hosted by Volunteer Arlington, a public-private partnership between the Leadership Center of Arlington and Arlington County. All volunteers are encouraged to join us at Washington-Liberty High School (W-L) for opening activities and an opening program.
Schedule on Monday, January 15, 2024:
8:30 a.m.: Check in, volunteer fair, and photo booth opportunities begin at Washington-Liberty High School (enter through door #1 on the N. Stafford St. side of the building). The first 750 people to check in will receive a free MLK Day of Service t-shirt.
9:00 a.m.: Opening program at Washington-Liberty High School and the presentation of the 2024 Beloved Community Award
9:30 a.m.: Transition time to projects and travel to off-site locations (if necessary)
9:45 a.m.: Projects begin at Volunteer Arlington site (W-L)
10:00 a.m.: Projects begin at off-site locations and for virtual projects
12:00 p.m.: Projects conclude, time may vary
Parking at Washington-Liberty High School: Parking is available on the street and in the I-66 parking garage located beside Washington-Liberty.
2024 Volunteer Opportunities
Just as there are various ways to be civically engaged, there are a variety of civic engagement projects for this year's MLK Day of Service.
Pre-registration is now closed.
Walk-ins are welcome at Washington-Liberty High School beginning at 8:30 a.m. as space allows, including for Encore's performance of Nauck to Green Valley in the W-L auditorium, which begins at 9:45.
- AFAC | Listen & Learn and Food Collection | W-L | full as of 1/02/20244
- Affordable Homes & Communities | Snack Bags for Students | Virtual | full as of 1/08/2024
- Affordable Homes & Communities | Snack Bags for Students | W-L | full as of 1/08/2024
- AHC, APAH, AHS | Listen and Learn on Current Issues in Affordable Housing in Arlington | W-L
- Arlington County DHS | Child & Family Services Listen & Learn on Mental Health and Wellness | W-L
- Arlington County DHS | Homelessness Continuum of Care Intro to Homelessness and Backpack Project | Off-site | full as of 1/02/2024
- Arlington Master Naturalists | Habitat Restoration at Potomac Overlook Regional Park | Off-site | full as of 1/12/2024
- Arlington Master Naturalists | Mulching Oaks and Maple at Tuckahoe Field | Off-site | full as of 1/14/2024
- Arlington Neighborhood Village | Valentine's Day Service Project | W-L | full as of 12/26/2023
- Arlington Rotary Club | No Sew Fleece Blanket Making for Kids in Affordable Housing | W-L | full as of 1/08/2024
- Bike/WalkArlington | W&OD Trail Cleanup | Off-site
- Bridges to Independence | A Bridge to Learning and Giving - Scavenger Hunt for a Cause | W-L
- CARRT | Ready, Set, Go-Bag!: Help Your Neighbors in Need Prepare for an Emergency | W-L
- Culpepper Garden | Gardening Project | Off-site CANCELLED
- Doorways | Listen and Learn Doorways 101 and Call to Action | W-L
- EcoAction Arlington | Barcroft Park Clean-Up | Off-site | full as of 1/12/2024 CANCELLED
- Encore Stage & Studio | Presentation of Nauck to Green Valley: Transforming a Community | W-L
- Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail | Long Bridge Connector Trail Clean-Up | Off-site
- Melwood | Spring Cleaning | Off-site | full as of 1/12/2024
- New Hope Housing | Making Welcome Home Kits | Virtual | full as of 1/12/2024
- New Hope Housing | Preparing Winter Hygiene and Safety Kits | Virtual | full as of 1/12/2024
- OAR of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church | Listen & Learn + DIY Welcome Home Kits | W-L | full as of 1/12/2024
- PathForward | Preparing Winter Hygiene and Safety Kits | W-L | full of 1/13/2024
- Read Early And Daily (READ) | Become a READ Book Fairy! | W-L | full as of 1/14/2024
- Real Food for Kids | Community SNAP Ambassador Training | W-L | full of 1/13/2024
- Rosie Riveters | STEM Kit Packing | Off-site | full as of 1/09/2024
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events. To request accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Brenda Nardone at volarl@leadercenter.org.
Beloved Community Award
At our MLK Day of Service, we present our Beloved Community Award to recognize an exemplary leader who has embodied Dr. King’s vision of building a “beloved community.”
Award Recipients
- 2024 Recipient: Dr. Alfred O. Taylor, Jr.
- 2023 Recipient: Saundra Green
2024 Sponsors
Lead Sponsors
Connecting Sponsor
Inspiring Sponsors
- Arlington Public Schools
- NOVA Optique + Eyecare
Supporting Sponsors
- Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC)
- Barometer XP
- Congregation Etz Hayim
- National Landing Business Improvement District
- Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ
- Searle Business Solutions, LLC
2023 Event Highlights
On Monday, January 16, 2023, we hosted our 6th annual MLK Day of Service. The 1,500+ volunteers who joined us truly made it a "day on" in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Watch this video to see some highlights from the service projects.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had an incredible impact. Watch the video below shown at the opening program of our 2023 MLK Day of Service that highlights community stories about leading change, a beloved community, service, and hope.